Detector-bar.



PATENTED OCT. 24, 1905.

J. T'. HAMBAY.

DETECTOR BAR.

APPLIGATION FILED MAY 25. 1905.

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SSSSSSSSSSSSS 24 NNNNNN 0R JAMES T. HAMBAY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

DETECTOR-BAR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 24:, 1905.v

Application filed May 25. 1905. Serial No. 262,120.

[o LU whom t Hetty concern:

Beit known that 1, JAMES T. I-IAMBAY, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of New York, State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Detector-Bars, of which the following is a specilication.

My invention relates to an improvement in detector-bars.

l have found by experience that in operating a detector-bar it frequently happens that when the power is applied it throws the bar not only into Contact with the car-wheel, but, in conjunction with the moving car-wheel, carries the bar to its complete revolution, permitting the switch to be opened when it should not be and the consequent liability to derailment of cars and accidents. Car-wheels are of different diameters at their inner and outer edges, the tread of the wheel having a pitch downward and inward, the diameter of the wheel being smaller at the outer edge than at the inner edge, where it rests upon the rail. i/Vhen the detector-bar is thrown under such a moving wheel, there is caused a shearing strain, owing' to said difference of diameters, the result being that when the bar is thrown ,in the direction in which the wheels are moving this shearing strain will pull the bar over either in its complete revolution or else break the links, and thus permit the switch to be opened at a time when it should be closed. lf the detectorbar is thrown in a direction opposite to which the wheels are moving, the shearing effect will be the same; but there will be a tendency to press the bar back toward its normal position. I have obviated the diliiculties stated by the invention which l will now disclose.

In the followingl I have described, in connection with the accompanying drawings, a structure illustrating one form of my invention, the features thereof being more particularly pointed out hereinafter in the claims.

1n the drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of a rail having my improved detectorbar attached thereto. Fig. 2 is a cross-section of Fig. 1 along the line A B looking in the direction of the arrows. Fig. 3 is a sectional view of a detail of the motion-plate along' the line C D of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows. Fig. l is aside view of a car-wheel resting on a rail; and Fig. 5 is a sectional view of a car-wheel resting on the rail to more clearly disclose the difference in diameters of the wheel, as stated.

Similar numerals of reference indicate simi lar parts throughout the several views.

1 represents the ordinary form of T-rail, to which is fastened a bracket 2 by means of suitable bolts 3 3. On each of bolts 3 is a washer f1, the bolt being' held from turning by a lock-pin 5. A link 6 is pivotally supported on bracket 9 by means of pin 7.

8 represents the detector-bar extending along the length of the rail and held at each end by links 9 9. A pivot 10 holds one end of each link in a bracket 11, clamped to the rail 1 by means of suitable bolts 12. Pivot 13 holds the other end of each link on the end of the detector-bar, each link being provided with a longitudinal slot 14, in which pivot 13 slides, as hereinafter described.

Motion-plates 15 are fastened to the detector-bar by means of rivets 16 or other snitable means, thus forming a support for the bar. The plates are guided between the brackets 2 and the links G, as shown, the rail 1, against which the detector-bar rests, forming the upper inner portion ofthe guide, the links preventing outward thrust of the dctector-bar- Each link 6 carries a roller 17, adapted to roll in slot 18 in plate 15, and thus move said plate upward. Slot 18 is so shaped at each end that the roller lirst moves along a substantially iiat surface 19 until the bar reaches about the top of the rail 1. At this point the slot inclines downwardly, as at 20, so as to retard the upward movement of the bar and require more power to move it to a level above the rail than to move it to the top of the rail. The downward incline v2O ends at 21, where the slot continues on the are of movement of the roller until it approaches the other end of the stroke, where the reverse motion takes place. The ends of slot 18 are provided with knife-edges 22 22 to assist in cutting the snow and ice and prevent clogging ofthe roller. A stop 23 is provided in bracket 9. to limit the downward movement of the plate 15. A hole 24 opposite stop 23 and a little lower than the stop is provided to which stop 23 may be removed as the top of the rail wears away, so as to keep the parts in alinement. A bar 25 connects all the links together, being pivoted to cach link by pivot 26. A driving-bar 27 is pivoted to one end of bar 25, as at 28, and is adapted to be actuated by any suitable means to transmit power to operate the mechanism disclosed.

In the operation of the apparatus described the driving-bar 27 is actuated and pushes or IIO pulls bar 25, causing each link 6 to oscillate on pin 7, thus causing roller 17 to travel in slot 18 of plate 15, the lirst portion of the movement, by reason of the impingement of the roller against thev fiat surface of the slot, causing the detector-bar firmly fastened to the plate to move upward to about the level of the rail, at which point the roller strikes the downward incline 20 of slot 18. If a train is above the detector-bar and the bar strikes a wheel, then the retarding force of downward incline Q0 and the wheel holds the detector-bar against further upward movement and prevents unlocking of the switch. rI`he normal power for operating the detector-bar is such that the downward incline, in connection with the resistance of the wheel, absorbs the surplus power over that necessary for raising the bar into contact with the wheel and obviates any danger of breakage. If the track is clear, the detector-bar moves through its entire stroke and permits the switch to be unlocked. The power is constant, and hence the leverage is greatest at the beginning of the stroke, when the roller 17 is traveling on the fiat portion 19 of the slot 18. Therefore in case the parts are frozen together this greater leverage is available to break the parts away from the ice, and thus do away with the necessity of doing' this by hand. At the same time if it were not for the retarding force of downward incline 2O of slot 18 and the resistance of the wheel the normal power would be exerted to bend the detector-bar and allow the bar to complete its stroke.

The object of the links 9 9 is to keep proper tension on the detector-bar and to hold it against substantial endwise movement. Slots 14C 14 are for allowing' pivots 13 to slide in them suiiicient to avoid buckling, the tendency, as stated, being to carry the bar in the direction in which the train is moving; but, as shown, the bar is always under tension and never under compression, the pivot at the end of the bar in the direction of movement being free to slide in the slot.

It is obvious that many changes may be made in the mechanism and in the form in which it may be constructed and applied without departing from the spirit of the invention.

IVhatI claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. In an apparatus of the character described a detector-bar and means forholding the same against substantial endwise movement during the operation thereof.

2. In an apparatus of the characterdescribed a detector-bar, means for operating the same and means independent of the operating means for holding the bar on the rail.

3. In an apparatus of the character described a detector-bar, means for operating the same and links provided with means for holding' the bar against substantial endwise movement during operation thereof.

4. In an apparatus ofthe character described a detector-bar, means for operating the same and means for holding the bar under tension during operation thereof.

5. In an apparatus of the character described a detector-bar, means for operating the same, links independent of said operating means for holding the bar on the rail and pins connecting said links and said bar, said links being provided with slots arranged in such manner that one of said links with its pin will hold the bar against endwise movement, while the other link with its pin, is free for endwise movement, whereby the bar is held under tension during the operation thereof.

6. In an apparatus of the character described a detector-bar, a movable plate fastened thereto and a traveling roller adapted to move said plate.

7. In an apparatus of the character described, a detector-bar, a plate fastened thereto, a link, a support for said link and means actuated by said link to move said plate.

8. In an apparatus of the character described a detector-bar, a slotted plate fastened thereto, a bracket, alink supported in said bracket and means actuated by said link to move said plate.

9. In an apparutus of the character described a detector-bar, a slotted plate fastened thereto, a bracket, a link supported in said bracket and a roller on said link adapted to work in the slot of the plate to move said plate.

10. In an apparatus of the character described a detector-bar, a slotted plate fastened thereto, a bracket, a link supported in said bracket and a roller on said link adapted to work in the slot of the plate to move said plate, said slot being so shaped that as the bar moves from its normal position of rest to a level with the top of the rail the roller will travel on a substantially fiat surface and from that point to the full height of the stroke of the bar the roller will travel on a downward incline, whereby the resistance to the actuating power is first less and then greater.

11. In an apparatus of the character described a detector-bar, a plate fastened thereto, a bracket, a link supported in said bracket, means actuated by said link to move said plate and means independent of said operating means for holding the bar on the rail and against substantial endwise movement with relation thereto.

12. In an apparatus of the character described a detector-bar, a series of plates fastened thereto, brackets for holding said plates, links mounted on said brackets, a bar connecting said links and means actuated by said links to move said plates.

13. In an apparatus of the character described a detector-bar, links for actuating said bar, brackets supporting said links and a IOO IIO

connecting-bar independent of said detectorbar for actuating said links in unison.

14. In an apparatus of' the character described a detector-bar, a series of movable plates, rollers for actuating said plates and a bar independent of the detector-bar for operating said rollers.

15. In an apparatus of tlie character described a detector-bar, means for operating the saine and links pivotally connected to said bar for holding the same against substantial endWise movement during operation thereof.

16. In an apparatus ol the character described a detector-bar, a plate fastened thereto, a slot in said plate, knife-edges at the ends SEABURY C. MAsTrcK, GRACE L. IfIEAsLEY. 

